Pucking Fantastic

Chapter 6: What Does Skating Mean

Hiya! it is easy to find the <> this time!

I stared at my reflection in the mirror, looking at my eyebrows, swearing that they were thicker a month ago. I rubbed my finger over my blotchy, thinning eyebrows to smooth them out. Oh geez, I was turning into my grandmother, Maria.

I took out a brown eyeliner pencil from my makeup bag and penciled them in thicker. I sighed as I looked at my penciled-in eyebrows. "I am grandma Maria," I said to myself, not happy with that statement.

<>

Braking me from my thoughts was Paulo. "Where are you going today?" he asked as he leaned against the door of the bathroom.

I looked at his bandaged, bruised and broken nose as his eyes showed light blackeyes but despite how terrible he looked, he somehow maintained his confidence. "You look like hell."

He shrugged as if he had heard it all before. "That's the price I have to pay for being the best person on the team."

I rolled my eyes. And this was why I tried so hard to let my family know I was here. Because if I didn't, I would be brushed to the side with Paulo and Jaimie's actions. Saying nothing, I took out some foundation and rubbed it on my pasty, slightly freckly skin.

Since they forced Paulo to stay home today, he was bored and that meant he was going to me for entertainment. Funny, I was only interesting when he had nothing better to do. "I saw you with Garret yesterday. Are you two dating now?"

I looked at him with a straight face, knowing he just wanted details so he could gossip about my life to the team, since a few of them were interested in me. "Nope." Even if we were, I would want to share since we all knew he couldn't keep secrets to save his life.

He looked at me with a smile as he wiggled his eyebrows. "But you want to."

I felt my cheeks grow hot, and that was enough of an answer for him.

"I knew it."

I looked around the hall as if people were here; they weren't, but I had to make sure. "Shhhh. I don't want the entire house or town, for that matter, knowing it. We all know how much you like to talk. This secret does not leave this bathroom," I threaten.

"Well, technically, I'm not in the bathroom," he said as he looked at his holey socked feet standing in the hallway.

I grabbed his shirt and pulled his 6-foot frame into the bathroom with enough force he almost lost his balance. "Now, you're in the bathroom."

He laughed, finding amusement in this. "Oh El. I promise I won't say anything. But the thing is, I think my team already got some ideas."

I looked up at him with despair. Great.

"So what are you getting ready for?" he asked again.

I sighed, knowing he wouldn't drop it until I answered his question. "I have an interview with the local newspaper," I said proudly, with a smile.

"Really? The Weeks? How did that happen?" he asked, as if he couldn't believe that I had enough talent or interest to be written about.

"Believe it or not but your little sister's in the big league for skating now. Callum's interviewing me for a spread."

"Callum, like Callum Weeks?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

He frowned, suddenly looking upset as he put his hands in his dark washed jean pockets and for a second, he looked like a protective brother, but Paulo wasn't protective. He never had to be, nor did I think he cared enough to be. "Be careful," he warned.